Tried a 4-foot frost depth for a vinyl fence in Minneapolis last winter

Everyone said to go 3 feet, but I pushed it deeper thinking it would stop the heave. The whole line still shifted almost an inch by spring. So much for that extra work and concrete. Has anyone else in a cold zone tried something different that actually held?

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3 Comments

adam_kim6mo ago

We had the same problem with a gate post moving every year. My neighbor, who's a retired contractor, told me to dig the hole like a bell shape, wider at the bottom. You still go down to code, but you pour a concrete cookie or "footing" at the base before setting the post. It acts like an anchor. It was a pain to dig but nothing has budged in three seasons now.

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benreed6mo ago

That bell shape trick sounds like a solid fix.

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hall.nora5mo ago

Absolutely! My uncle did that for his mailbox post after the plow kept knocking it over. He dug that bell shape, poured a thick concrete base, and it's been rock solid for years now. It really locks everything in place. The extra digging is totally worth it for something that doesn't move.

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